Crash kills two in Knox Township

Crash kills twoin Knox Township
LISBON -- The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed two Salem residents Friday afternoon. Patrol reports say Janice Soleman, 46, of Salem was driving westbound on U.S. Route 62 in Knox Township at 4:33 p.m. when she drove left of center and struck an eastbound vehicle driven by Helen Mitchell, 71, of Beloit. Soleman and a passenger in her vehicle, Frank Martin Jr., 47, of Salem, were pronounced dead at the scene. Mitchell was taken by helicopter to Canton Mercy Hospital for treatment. Soleman and Martin were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, patrol officials said.
Arrested in homicide
YOUNGSTOWN -- The second suspect in a December 2006 homicide was captured at 3 a.m. Friday on Superior Avenue in Cleveland. Reshaud Biggs, who marked his 21st birthday on Valentine's Day, was taken into custody by members of the FBI/Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force and transported to the Mahoning County jail. Biggs and his stepbrother, Darrin Davis, 17, both of East Florida Avenue are charged in the Dec. 30 shooting death of Anthony Perez, 31, of Youngstown. Perez was shot multiple times while he and his brother were detailing a car at 612 Clearmount Ave. on the South Side at 10:30 p.m. Several men approached and opened fire over a car-theft accusation, police said.
Racking up citations
YOUNGSTOWN -- Knowing the city is wall-to-wall police hunting down traffic violators hasn't stopped die-hard drivers without a valid license from ignoring rules of the road. City police implementing the mayor's zero-tolerance approach to crime fighting through traffic stops -- Special Interdiction Patrol -- came across roughly a dozen suspended drivers Thursday. A few were wanted on warrants and some had drugs in their cars. Reasons for the stops included cruising through traffic lights, failing to signal a turn, no front plate, no illuminated rear plate, one headlight, expired plates and so forth. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers have joined in the traffic interdiction by focusing on U.S. and state routes in the city in an effort to reduce fatalities. Troopers working on Market Street on Thursday stopped 161 cars, said Lt. Chris Heverly, Canfield post commander. Troopers wrote 50 safety belt tickets; made one driving-under-the-influence arrest (at 11 a.m.); made 10 driving-under-suspension arrests; and wrote one child-restraint ticket, Heverly said. "The message is getting out to drive safer," he said.
Road closing in Warren
WARREN -- North Park Avenue between Maryland Street and Federal Street will be closed for two days beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday for a sewer repair. The suggested detour is to use Hall Street to Mahoning Avenue, to North River Road, to Park Avenue and the reverse for southbound traffic, the city's engineering, planning and building department said.
Hearing postponed
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The preliminary hearing for an area man accused of blowing up his neighborhood in an apparent suicide attempt has been postponed to 11 a.m. March 1. The preliminary hearing for Patrick Henry, 30, was originally scheduled for Thursday, but was moved at his attorney's request. Henry faces more than 100 counts in the Nov. 27 explosion that destroyed his Franklin Avenue home and several others and resulted in the hospitalization of three people, including himself. Police said Henry disconnected natural gas pipes in his home in an apparent suicide attempt.
Conferences reset
NEWTON FALLS -- The Newton Falls schools have rescheduled parent/teacher conferences that were postponed by inclement weather. The new times are: Arlington Elementary -- 4:15 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Middle School -- 4 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and Junior/Senior High School: 3:30 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.
End of snow emergency
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mayor Jay Williams canceled a snow emergency in the city effective 6 p.m. Friday. The emergency was put into effect Tuesday and banned on-street parking.